Kevin Brown

Kevin Brown, the New Jersey State Director of 32BJ SEIU, is also a Vice President of the union. Kevin has been involved in the trade union movement since 1987, when he started working for SEIU as an organizer. During those five years, he helped organize 1,000 cleaners who lived in the working-class areas of Washington, DC. The grandchild of Russian and Polish immigrants, and raised in a Jewish family committed to Tikkum Olam –healing the world—Kevin firmly believes that, as humans, we have a shared responsibility to heal, repair and transform the world.

In 1992, after a successful campaign in Washington, DC, Kevin joined 531 SEIU in Connecticut where he and a group of young and eager unionists helped organize more than 2,500 members over the course of 9 years. In 2001, Kevin moved to New Jersey to work on the expansion of 32BJ in the Garden State. Those efforts were successful and we now represent over 10,000 commercial, residential, and public school-contracted, and airport private sector service workers throughout New Jersey.

On December 15, 2015 despite intense demand from employers for give-backs, Kevin successfully led the union to secure a four-year agreement for seven thousand New Jersey commercial and school cleaners across the State of New Jersey. The agreement maintains employer-paid family health insurance for all full-time members, raises wages to over 15.00 per hour for over 90% of the members over the course of the agreement, and improves the rights of member leaders. Additionally, 32BJ has won over the years the conversion of over a thousand jobs from part-time to full-time.

On April 10, 2014 after 4 years of difficult organizing and bargaining Kevin helped lead the New Jersey District to its first ever Master Security Contract covering 1500 Security officers. The Agreement provides raises between $1.70 – $2.30 per hour over 4 years and for the first time ever free individual healthcare for the hardworking officers.

Kevin currently serves on the Executive Board of 32BJ SEIU as Vice President and New Jersey State Director. He also serves on the Boards of the Newark Port Authority Oversight Committee, New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, Bluewave New Jersey as well as co-chair of the political action committee of Working Families Alliance of New Jersey. He previously served on the Boards of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Community Relations Federation of the Metrowest Area (Essex, Union, Morris, and Sussex Counties).

Originally from the St. Louis area, Kevin resides in New Jersey with his wife and 2 children ages 21 and 17. His older daughter is currently attending the University of Wisconsin.